Twins land a steal in Josh Willingham, A’s get draft picks

So Josh Willingham signs with Minnesota, as expected, for three years and $21 million – he’ll make just $1 million more per year then he did in Oakland. After a terrific season playing half his games at the spacious Coliseum – he hit 29 homers and drove in 98 runs, and that was with a short DL stay – I thought he’d go for closer to what he was hoping to get on the open market, which was about $10-11 million per year.

I remain surprised there wasn’t more interest. He’s not the greatest outfielder and he has some tendinitis in an Achilles tendon, but he is a very solid run producer. When I spoke to Minnesota people at the winter meetings last week, they were very high on Willingham but the team was still talking to longtime Twin Michael Cuddyer. Now, the Twins get Willingham instead, don’t lose a first-round pick – and they’ll get a first-rounder when Cuddyer signs elsewhere.

The A’s will get a supplemental pick after the first round (the first 15 picks are protected – and the Twins pick second overall) and they’ll pick in front of the Twins in the second round, a nice high second-rounder.

I spoke to Willingham, and he’s excited to go to Minnesota, despite the Twins’ surprisingly poor 2011 season.

“I know they had a rough year and some injuries, but it’s still a good situation,” he said. “When you think of the Twins, you think contenders. They’ve been to the postseason most every year.”

Willingham had hoped at one point during the season to return to Oakland on a multi-year deal, and he told me he’d really enjoyed his time with the A’s.

“I love the A’s organization and the fans were awesome to me, the way they accepted me,” he said, adding with a laugh, “They acted like they like me, anyway.”

Willingham does feel for the teammates he leaves behind as the A’s embark on another rebuild, but he knows good things can come from rebuilds. He’s an example.

“It’s not something any player wants to go through – unless you’re one of the players they’re rebuilding with,” he said. “I was one of those guys in 2006 with the Marlins. That’s how I got my opportunity.”

So two-thirds of Oakland’s starting 2011 outfield is gone. The next question is: Where will Coco Crisp land?